The Ruins of Gorland, Chapter 31 ish
by Mrs. Knightley
Summary: Some of my thoughts of how this chapter went from Halt's point of view. How he might have seen it or felt about the whole situation.


Halt sat quietly at his scrubbed wooden table, staring fixedly at the candle now burning low. Will had returned from an evening spent with his former ward mates in good spirits. The group had all had dinner together at a local inn to celebrate the boy's return. Halt was glad. It was good for his young charge to spend time with kids his own age occasionally. Halt knew the coming war would make Will, and many other kids, grow up quickly. War was like that. It changed people.

He mused reflectively over his relationship with the young man, now sleeping quietly in the other room. It had started far before Will realized. Halt thought back to the battle so long ago where he had first met Daniel, the boy's father. It was a story Will was old enough to hear now, the ranger realized. He would have to find an opportunity to share it with him.

Halt could still hear in his memory the pleading request from the dying man that his wife and child be looked after. Such a desperate request is hard to deny, especially when the one dying is in that condition because they had just saved your life. In this case Halt had had that experience twice. His sense of duty, to repay the selfless acts that had saved his life, was enough to compel him to ensure that the boy was always looked after.

That is how it started, but it was more than that. He felt a connection wtih the boy, felt responsible for him. He had been commissioned by both of the boy's parents, with their final breath, to care for the child. Of course, having no real way to care for an infant, he had placed the baby in the ward at Castle Redmont, where he would be well tended and looked after. Halt, of course, could keep an eye on him as he grew and had done so, more closely than Will would ever know. But this was more than just duty. He loved the boy like a son and because of that, his greatest concern was what was best for Will.

Halt thought back now over his meeting with Baron Arald and his idea of offering Will a position in the battle school. That had been the boy's wish at Choosing Day. Halt had agreed readily, knowing it was still something that his apprentice wished for. However, he couldn't say that the decision was not something that tore at his heart. The idea of losing this apprentice, who meant more to Halt than anyone else, caused him a great deal of pain. But, he loved the boy unselfishly. He wanted him to be happy and, knowing Will as he did, he knew that he would excel at whatever task he was set. If Battle School would make him happy then Halt would be happy as well... mostly.

The next day, the Audience Hall was filled with the knights and ladies of the court as well as the Craft Masters and apprentices. They were all gathered to hear the Baron's praise for heroic deeds preformed in the last few days. Halt could read the uncomfortable tension in Will and knew how he was feeling. Halt hated being the center of attention and knew the boy did as well, but it couldn't be helped.

"Get on with it," Halt muttered giving Will a gentle shove in the back. The young boy stood looking down the long isle leading to the Barons chair at the other end of the hall. He didn't move.

"Get a move on," Halt hissed, prodding him forward again.

Will turned to him, a slightly panicked look in his eyes. "Aren't you coming with me?" he asked.

"Not invited," Halt shrugged. "Now get going," he said, shoving him lightly again.

Halt decided the best way to get the boy moving was to leave him standing there alone. So he turned and limped towards a chair, still favoring his injured leg. It worked. Will, seeing he was on his own, slowly began to make his way down the aisle. He was clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation.

Halt watched him go and could not help the sadness that engulfed him. He never questioned his decision and held firm to the fact that what was best for Will was best. Halt knew he would have become an incredible ranger, possibly the greatest, but he would be incredible whatever he became. He was an incredible person. So the old ranger was content with the decision. However, content didn't erase sadness.

He watched as the Baron introduced Will to the crowd assembled, telling of his deeds and accomplishments in killing the kalkara and, by so doing, saving the Baron's own life. He was now explaining to Will that he had made a mistake in preventing Will from going to Battle School. As Sir Rodney stepped forward to talk to Will, Halt felt an immense sense of loss at the thought of giving his young apprentice over to another mentor.

He watched as the boy knelt to examine the shining weapons placed before him. This was his dream, Halt told himself, and that's what was important. He would always keep an eye on the boy and make sure he was okay. He would always be proud of him and knew he would go on to do great things no matter what. His own sense of loss was just that, his own and he could separate the two. It didn't change the immense pride he felt for the boy, nor the fact that he loved him.

"They are a knight's weapons Will," the Baron was saying, "but you have proved over and again that you're worthy of them..."

Halt saw the reverence with which Will handled the beautiful weapons, re-sheathing the sword and standing again. Nodding to no one, Halt stood and pulling his cowl in place, as he began to move toward the door. It was a done deal.

What he heard next stopped him dead.

"I am a ranger, my lord," Will stated firmly. Halt's heart lifted, he was surprised. He was sure that battle school was what the boy wanted.

"I thank you for the honor my lord," Will was saying, in that same firm tone "and I thank the Battle Master and his knights for their generous offer, but I am a ranger."

Those words cut though Halt's mind and filled him with a happiness he had not known in a long, long time. He could not contain the smile that came to his face and didn't even try to. This was Will's choice and he chose to become a ranger. He would return to the little cabin and their life would continue as it had. Halt turned back and waited for the young man as he returned down the long isle. His pleasure, for once, clearly evident on his face.


End file.
